Well, this had to have been the the best thing to attend on so many levels. Background: Jennifer Bertrand, a friend of Frank Black’s wife Violet Clark, has a son named Winston, a ten-month old born with “two rare and complex malformations called lymphatic and venous malformations.” They threaten his life, and his health care costs are astronomical. You can donate, and/or you could have spent $25 and gone to the Echoplex Tuesday night for Pixies (sans Kim Deal, who was in London) and so any of their friends, performing nonstop from 8PM to nearly 2 in the morning. Photographer Andrew Youssef attended and the play-by-play he sent over is staggering. Some highlights (i.e. practically the entire evening):

Frank Black, Joey Santiago, David Lovering, Violet Clark, and “Weird Al” did “I Bleed.” And that’s just the tip. Kim Deal wasn’t there, so bass duties were traded around, including a “Where Is My Mind” with Flea, and a “Tame and “Velouria” with Kim Shattuck of the Muffs. Tenacious D were their hilarious selves, performing “Pick Of Destiny,” “Roadie,” and a song about Quantum Leap. And then finally, the Black Brothers Jack and Frank were onstage at once, which looks exactly like what Tenacious D looks like except double the Kyle Gass, to sing “Surfer Rosa.”

Black Francis was on stage doing solo sets or collaborating most of the evening. The Deal-less Pixies did “Bone Machine” and “Levitate Me,” and Pixies tunes were performed with assists from many others, including a banjo/double-bass version of “Monkey Gone To Heaven” with David J on lead vocals and Frank Black backing him up, “Headache” and “Debaser” with Damian of OK Go (a know-all-the-words Pixies superfan singing along all night side-stage), and on. While solo Frank Black did “Angels Come To Comfort You,” “Ed Is Dead,” “Los Angeles,” and “I Burn Today.” The 88 opened with a five-song set. Grand Duchy did “Volcano!” David J played a new song, “Trophy Wife” (“not about Tiger Woods”), and covered “All The Young Dudes” with Frank Black. Also performing with Mr. Black were She Wants Revenge and the Fall’s bassist Simon “Ding” Archer. The Flea-boosted “Where Is My Mind” is what closed the show.

Last night the “Winston Calling” benefit welcomed went for laughs, with Tim and Eric, Brian Posehn, Bob Odenkirk and Dave Lovering’s magic tricks the main entertainment.

Wow. To be in L.A. Thanks to Andrew for these pics, and god speed to little Winston.